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1 He that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end. 2 He that chastiseth his son shall have joy in him, and shall rejoice of him among his acquaintance. 3 He that teacheth his son grieveth the enemy: and before his friends he shall rejoice of him. 4 Though his father die, yet he is as though he were not dead: for he hath left one behind him that is like himself. 5 While he lived, he saw and rejoiced in him: and when he died, he was not sorrowful. 6 He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one that shall requite kindness to his friends. 7 He that maketh too much of his son shall bind up his wounds; and his bowels will be troubled at every cry. 8 An horse not broken becometh headstrong: and a child left to himself will be wilful. 9 Cocker thy child, and he shall make thee afraid: play with him, and he will bring thee to heaviness. 10 Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him, and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end. 11 Give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his follies. 12 Bow down his neck while he is young, and beat him on the sides while he is a child, lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee, and so bring sorrow to thine heart. 13 Chastise thy son, and hold him to labour, lest his lewd behaviour be an offence unto thee. 14 Better is the poor, being sound and strong of constitution, than a rich man that is afflicted in his body. 15 Health and good estate of body are above all gold, and a strong body above infinite wealth. 16 There is no riches above a sound body, and no joy above the joy of the heart. 17 Death is better than a bitter life or continual sickness. 18 Delicates poured upon a mouth shut up are as messes of meat set upon a grave. 19 What good doeth the offering unto an idol? for neither can it eat nor smell: so is he that is persecuted of the Lord. 20 He seeth with his eyes and groaneth, as an eunuch that embraceth a virgin and sigheth. 21 Give not over thy mind to heaviness, and afflict not thyself in thine own counsel. 22 The gladness of the heart is the life of man, and the joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days. 23 Love thine own soul, and comfort thy heart, remove sorrow far from thee: for sorrow hath killed many, and there is no profit therein. 24 Envy and wrath shorten the life, and carefulness bringeth age before the time. 25 A cheerful and good heart will have a care of his meat and diet.
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[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Sirach 30:7
“Because the one who would save his life will lose it,” he says, “but the one who loses his life for my sake will find it. Indeed, what advantage would it be to gain the whole world and lose one’s soul? Or what can a person give in exchange for his soul?” This means: I ordain these things, not because I am not concerned for you but because I am very concerned for you. In fact, one who is always helping his child ruins him, while the one who does not always help saves him. A wise man said the same thing: “If you beat your child with the rod, he will not die. Rather, you will free his soul from death.” And, “One who spoils his child will bind up his wounds.” This is also the case in the army. If the general, in his concern for the soldiers, orders that they always stay inside the city, he will cause not only the soldiers to die, but the others in the city as well. So that this would not also happen to you, he says, You must be ready for a continual death. Indeed, even now a difficult battle breaks out. Do not remain inside, therefore, but go out and fight. Even if you fall in battle, you will have lived. If, in earthly wars, one who is ready to be killed is held in more esteem than the others and is more invincible and fearsome to the enemy—even if, after his death, the king for whom he has taken up arms cannot bring him back to life—how much more in these battles, with such a great hope of resurrection, will the one who exposes his life to death find it, first because he will not be taken quickly, and second, because even if he falls, it will bring him to a higher life.

Source: HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 55:2
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Sirach 30:18
So now that he is buried, I want to see if I can hear his voice. Or if I cannot hear his, I’ll try to hear my father’s voice, or my grandfather’s or my great-grandfather’s. But in fact no one has ever risen from the grave, no one has ever told us what is done in the beyond. Let us enjoy life while we live, and if our loved ones—our parents, or relatives or friends—bring remembrances to our grave after we are dead, this can only satisfy them; it has nothing to do with us! The Scripture also criticized this practice when, speaking about those who do not recognize the good things they have, it says, “As though making offerings of food at a grave.” It is obvious that this can be of no use to the one who is dead. It is in fact a pagan custom and not part of the tradition that conforms to the truth of the Patriarchs. Of them, one reads that they did solemnly celebrate the funeral rites but not that they carried sacrificial offerings to the tombs. This can also be seen in the practice of the Jews who, even if they did not preserve the fruit of the virtues of the ancestors, nevertheless did maintain the ancient custom with much solemnity.

Source: SERMON 361:6.6
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Sirach 30:20
Why, O mortal, do you pile up gold? Why acquire for yourself a more bitter slavery? A harsher imprisonment? Why create for yourself a more piercing anxiety? You think that the veins of gold in the mines or the gold in palaces could be yours. In fact, even if you had that pile of wealth, you would only hoard it. It would not serve you, because if you do not make use even now of your goods, not touching them as though they belonged to someone else, how much more would you do so if you had more? Usually, for the avaricious, the more abundant the wealth they surround themselves with, the more they save. “But,” you could reply, “I know that it’s mine.” In that case, the possession is only in your thoughts and not in enjoyment. But, you could object, I will be formidable before others. Actually, you would be more vulnerable before the rich, the poor, thieves, calumniators, servants—in effect, before all those who might plot against you. If you want to be formidable, eliminate the occasions by which all those who do this kind of thing might take advantage of and harm you. Have you never heard the proverb that says that not even a hundred people together could ever despoil a poor, naked person? In fact, he has the greatest defender, poverty, one that not even the king could subjugate and conquer. Instead, all these things create anguish for the avaricious person. And why speak of people, given that moths and worms war against such an individual? But why even speak of moths? A long period of time is sufficient, even with no one to bother them, for riches to undergo major damage. What, therefore, is the pleasure of riches? I see the unpleasant aspects, whereas you speak to me of the pleasure you derive from them. What, you might reply, are the unpleasant aspects? Worries, plots, hostilities, hatred, fear, endless thirst after riches and anxiety over them. If someone embraces the girl he loves but cannot satisfy his desire, he suffers an even greater torment. This also happens to the rich person. He certainly has riches and is with them, but he cannot satisfy all his desire. The same happens with all rich people as what is spoken of by a wise man: “Like the desire of a eunuch to deflower a maiden,” and, “Like a eunuch who embraces a virgin and groans.”

Source: HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 83:2-3
[AD 500] Salvian the Presbyter on Sirach 30:23
“Have compassion on your own soul.” Great is the mercy of God our Lord, who invites us to be charitable toward ourselves. He says, “Have compassion on your own soul,” that is, “you also should have compassion on yourself, you for whom I feel an aching commiseration, for whom I experience an infinite compassion. If you see me so moved over the soul of another, you at least should have mercy on your own soul.” O extremely wretched person, God acts toward you in this way, and you do not put faith in him. He beckons you to be charitable toward yourself, and you do not want to be so? He pleads your case with you, and he cannot win the decision from you?

Source: AGAINST AVARICE 3:19.86